Meet, Plan, Go!
by April on Sep 24th, 2010 | Has 0 comments
Rachel and I were asked to represent ZipSetGo.com as keynote speakers at a 13-city simultaneous travel meet-up called Meet, Plan, Go! The topic for the event was career breaks. Although it’s common in many counties to take a career break, sabbatical, “gap year” or other type of extended travel, here in the United States it’s not common practice, and in some cases looked down upon as not being “career focused.”
Well, the founders of Meet, Plan, Go! are on a mission to change that mindset because they have all three benefited in some way from taking a career break:
SHERRY OTT is a refugee from corporate IT who is now a long-term traveler, blogger and photographer.
MICHAELA POTTER is a freelance designer through Wanderlust Productions who has managed to interweave travel throughout her life.
TARA RUSSELL is a “Life Sabbatical & Long-term Travel Coach” – a Certified Life and Career Coach with a passion for working with clients who dream of taking time off to travel, live, work, study or volunteer abroad.
These three ladies set out and were successful in recruiting national sponsors who could help people interested in a career break navigate the system, provide do’s and don’ts, answer questions they couldn’t get answered before and to ultimately start planning their gap year NOW – TODAY!
Around 1,200 attendees signed up and showed up with notepads and pens in hand, ready to learn, ask questions and plan. Meet, Plan, Go! not only had national sponsors to ask as resources, they also invited keynote speakers that could talk from experience about what travel has meant to them and their lives and to share with the attendees “The Real Deal” – the good, the bad and the unfortunate ugly.
The Keynote Speakers for the Philadelphia Meet. Plan, Go! Were:
Michael Tieso and Teresa Gotay of Art of Backpacking
The Art of Backpacking’s mission is to help you travel in style to distinctive places and to have fun doing so. Together, Michael and Teresa are providing the latest travel news, unique photography and videos, travel gear and much more. Whether you are fresh to the idea of backpacking or this is your 10th trip around the world, Art of Backpacking will cater to your needs.
The Art of Backpacking’s mission is to help you travel in style to distinctive places and to have fun doing so. Together, Michael and Teresa are providing the latest travel news, unique photography and videos, travel gear and much more. Whether you are fresh to the idea of backpacking or this is your 10th trip around the world, Art of Backpacking will cater to your needs.
Keith and Amy Sutter of Green Around the Globe
Keith and Amy returned from their year-long sabbaticals just as the Meet, Plan, Go! Event took place. On their website, Green Around the Globe, they document their year of traveling the world and discovering what sustainability means around the globe. They recently shared with Briefcase to Backpack the complex navigation most Americans face in getting health insurance while traveling around the globe.
Keith and Amy returned from their year-long sabbaticals just as the Meet, Plan, Go! Event took place. On their website, Green Around the Globe, they document their year of traveling the world and discovering what sustainability means around the globe. They recently shared with Briefcase to Backpack the complex navigation most Americans face in getting health insurance while traveling around the globe.
Drew Hayes of STA Travel
Drew Hayes talked about STA Travel’s commitment to creating life-changing, individualized travel experiences. They are passionate about taking the guesswork out of travel so you can focus on making your mark on the world. [www.statravel.com]
Erin Guttenplan of Edge of Seven
Erin Guttenplan gave us an overview of the incredible work she are her group are doing for the women of Nepal. They were founded to ultimately bridge the continents and provide sustainable support to communities that welcome aid. They offer unique, up-close and personal volunteer opportunities to facilitate global cooperation by working side-by-side together. www.Edgeofseven.com
Rachel and I were there to talk with participants about social media and how having a travel community like ZipSetGo.com and using events like Travelers’ Night In to gain information from people living all over the world can assist you with your travel planning. You don’t have to leave your couch when planning your travel when you have access to people who are living in the destinations you want to travel to. Our Travelers’ Night In community has taken on a life of its own and is helping people all over the world connect and talk about their passion for travel, culture and adventure, and we are providing the world a virtual sounding board to connect and be citizens of the WORLD! Get Out – Experience and Share!
Resources available to assist you in your planning a career break are listed below.
Gap Adventures offers the widest selection of affordable small group adventure tours, safaris, treks and expeditions to more than 100 countries on all seven continents. Offering a range of different trip styles and comfort levels to suit every traveler; their award-winning trips allow you the freedom to explore off the beaten path in an authentic and sustainable way to bring you face-to-face with the world’s most fascinating cultures, customs and natural wildlife.
GeoVisions offers exciting ways to experience first hand a new country, a town, a community through their volunteer abroad and teach abroad programs.
STA Travel is a global travel specialist with 30 years experience advising people on extended travel and adventures abroad. They offer flights, accommodation, and insurance among other valuable travel products.
The Unconventional Guides are the brainchild of Chris Guillebeau who’s mission is to fight the status quo and live the life you want. His book and travel tips/guides will help propel any want-to-be career breaker to break free of the cubicle.
* Empire Building Kit – Will help you move from the conventional working life to the life of an entrepreneur by teaching you how to build your own lifestyle business through case studies, lessons, and video interviews. It will help you escape the tyranny
* Empire Building Kit – Will help you move from the conventional working life to the life of an entrepreneur by teaching you how to build your own lifestyle business through case studies, lessons, and video interviews. It will help you escape the tyranny
Globejotter Tours are travel adventures and creative writing lessons rolled into one. Their number one focus is on creating memorable travel experiences for small, down-to-earth groups. Along the way they offer classes to help you write personal travel memoirs and stories.
Hostelling International USA (HI-USA) is America’s largest network of quality hostels and part of a global HI network of more than 4,000 hostels in over 80 countries. Come join our “Community of Travelers”!
Mango, an online language-learning system, teaches practical conversation skills for a wide variety of languages. It’s a fast, easy & incredibly effective way to learn to speak a foreign language! You can access Mango from anywhere you have an internet connection – all you need is your library card.
Did you know that more and more companies are offering regular, PAID sabbaticals for all employees? yourSABBATICAL.com tracks and lists all of these employers on their website. But if you work for a company that’s not this progressive, you can still experience a transformational sabbatical by
convincing your boss to give you one!
Where Is She Heading, LLC helps you create and develop a life changing travel addiction known as Volunteer Vacations, Voluntourism or Volunteer Travel. A veteran of 12 volunteer projects during a yearlong trip around the world, Jane Stanfield published “Mapping Your Volunteer Vacation” as a guide to assist you find and prepare for a powerful volunteer experience that fits your interest, time, budget and heart!
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